LONDON- A British Airways (BA) Airbus A350-1000 bound for London Heathrow (LHR) was forced to return to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) on Wednesday evening (April 16, 2025) after crew members reported smoke in the cockpit.
The aircraft departed Cape Town (CPT) shortly after 7 PM and turned back while flying over Namibia. The plane landed safely at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) around 10 PM.
Photo: By Steve Lynes from Sandshurst; Wikimedia CommonsBritish Airways Emergency Landing
British Airways Flight BA58, operated by an Airbus A350-1000 (registration G-XWBG), departed Cape Town (CPT) at 7:16 PM local time on Wednesday evening.
The aircraft was flying over Namibia when crew members detected smoke in the cockpit. This safety concern prompted an immediate decision to return to the departure airport.
After executing the turnaround manoeuvre, the pilots safely landed the aircraft back at Cape Town International Airport at around 10:00 PM local time.
Cape Town emergency services were placed on high alert during the incident. The response teams were ready to assist upon the aircraft’s arrival. The plane landed without further incident, and all passengers and crew members were reported safe.
Photo- FlightRadar24The City of Cape Town’s Fire & Rescue service was called to support what officials described as a “phase 2 emergency response,” deploying four major pumps on standby.
After landing on the runway, the pilots successfully shut down the aircraft’s engines and fuel supply. The plane was then escorted to a designated parking area where passengers remained on board until they could safely disembark.
“Our Fire & Rescue resources will remain on support until the phase 2 emergency is declared complete.”
JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member (responsible for safety and security for the City of Cape Town)
JP Smith detailed the incident on social media. “Drama unfolded at Cape Town Airport! This evening, our emergency services were put to the test at Cape Town International Airport,” Smith wrote. “An Airbus A350, nearly 2 hours into its journey to London, radioed in with an emergency due to smoke filling the cockpit.”
Photo- Anna Zvereva; Wikimedia CommonsUnconfirmed Reports
Social media reports from the Facebook group “Latest Sightings Cape Town Int’l Airport” suggested the aircraft may have experienced a fuel leak. It claimed that the N2 highway, which runs past the airport runway, had been temporarily closed. However, these reports could not be officially confirmed by authorities.
Another member of the same group alleged that the same aircraft had experienced a previous incident on April 14. It was reportedly diverted back to London’s Heathrow Airport. British Airways (BA) has not confirmed this earlier incident.
The suggestion that this particular aircraft had experienced a prior incident raises questions about potential recurring technical issues. Aviation safety protocols typically involve thorough inspections following any in-flight anomalies, especially those serious enough to warrant a flight diversion.
The aviation authority and British Airways will likely conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the smoke in the cockpit. Such incidents are taken extremely seriously due to their potential impact on flight safety.
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